Senate File 425 - Introduced
SENATE FILE 425
BY COMMITTEE ON STATE
GOVERNMENT
(SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1114)
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to the definition of meeting and public notice
2 requirements under the open meetings law.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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1 Section 1. Section 21.2, subsection 2, Code 2021, is amended
2 to read as follows:
3 2. “Meeting” means a gathering in person or by electronic
4 means, formal or informal, of a majority of the members of
5 a governmental body where there is deliberation or action
6 upon any matter within the scope of the governmental body’s
7 policy-making or budgetary duties. Meetings shall not include
8 a gathering of members of a governmental body for purely
9 ministerial or social purposes when there is no discussion of
10 policy or budgetary duties or no intent to avoid the purposes
11 of this chapter.
12 Sec. 2. Section 21.4, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 2021,
13 is amended to read as follows:
14 a. Except as provided in subsection 3, a governmental body
15 shall give notice of the time, date, and place of each meeting
16 including a reconvened meeting of the governmental body, and
17 the tentative agenda of the meeting, in a manner reasonably
18 calculated to apprise the public of that information.
19 Reasonable notice shall include advising the news media who
20 have filed a request for notice with the governmental body and
21 posting the notice on a bulletin board, an internet site if
22 available, or other prominent place which is easily accessible
23 to the public and clearly designated for that purpose at the
24 principal office of the body holding the meeting, or if no such
25 office exists, at the building in which the meeting is to be
26 held.
27 Sec. 3. Section 21.4, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code 2021,
28 is amended to read as follows:
29 a. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph “c”, notice
30 conforming with all of the requirements of subsection 1 shall
31 be given at least twenty-four hours prior to the commencement
32 of any meeting of a governmental body, excluding weekend days
33 and paid holidays as specified in section 1C.2, unless for
34 good cause such notice is impossible or impractical, in which
35 case as much notice as is reasonably possible shall be given.
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 S.F. 425
1 For purposes of this subsection, “good cause” shall include a
2 personnel or student matter.
3 EXPLANATION
4 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
5 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
6 This bill relates to the definition of meeting and public
7 notice requirements under the open meetings law (Code chapter
8 21).
9 The bill amends the definition of a meeting that is subject
10 to the requirements of the open meetings law by expanding the
11 definition to include any deliberations or actions (including
12 recommendations) taken by a governmental body as defined in
13 the open meetings law, that are within a governmental body’s
14 budgetary duties.
15 The bill provides that reasonable notice of a meeting shall
16 include providing notice on an internet site if available.
17 The bill excludes weekend days and paid holidays as
18 specified in Code section 1C.2 when determining the 24-hour
19 time period for purposes of public notice under the open
20 meetings law.
21 The bill defines “good cause” to include a personnel or
22 student matter.
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Statutes affected:
Introduced: 21.2, 21.4